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2008 MINI Cooper S ConvertibleProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 7 owner complaints about the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible, most often about the seats. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 15V-205 the manufacturer reports only 37% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 37%Owner complaints72 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage30kSeats, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 24, 2017. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible has problems

7 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seats31
Air bags30
Engine and engine cooling11
Service brakes, hydraulic10
Structure10
Suspension10
Electrical system10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

37%repaired · 2017 Q1

Air bags: frontal

Recall 15V-205 · Apr 6, 2015 · 91,800 vehicles · 33,603 repaired

Risk. An improperly functioning mat may cause the passenger frontal air bag to be inactive when the seat is occupied, and in the event of a crash, the air bag will…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with MINI.

Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other Cooper S Convertible year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cooper S Convertible median. How we score

'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 MINI Cooper S Convertible, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Engine compartment firePE11036 · closed Jun 11, 2012
    Led to recall 12V-008
In owners' words

What Cooper S Convertible owners report

Recent seats complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHILE TRAVELING AT OR ABOVE 65 MILES PER. HOUR, VIBRATION IN FRONT END. HAVE HAD TIRES ROTATED, BALANCES AND FRONT END CHECKED OUT. UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT AND NOW MUST KEEP UNDER 65 MPH. UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT OR ABOVE 65.
Complaint 11019469 · Aug 24, 2017 · 64,000 miles
MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT, WHICH HAS A WEIGHT-SENSOR TO DETERMINE AIR-BAG OPERATION (ON/OFF, FULL FORCE, PARTIAL FORCE) IS FAULTY, AND WITH A 110 LB PERSON SEATED IN THERE, THE SENSOR STILL BELIEVES THE PERSON WEIGHS BELOW 25 LBS, AND AS SUCH, DISABLES THE AIRBAG. THIS IS CONCERNING TO ME AS I DRIVE…
Complaint 10496848 · Feb 8, 2013 · 30,000 miles
THE SEAT HEATERS IN MY 2008 MINI COOPER S GET WAY TOO HOT. THEY HAVE TWO TEMPERATURE SETTINGS (ONE IS HOTTER THAN THE OTHER) AND EITHER ONE GETS TOO HOT AND YOU HAVE TO TURN OFF THE HEATER. IF YOU DON'T TURN IT OFF IT WILL CONTINUE TO HEAT UNTIL IT BURNS YOU. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I…
Complaint 10379509 · Jan 28, 2011 · 21,000 miles

Own a 2008 Cooper S Convertible?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.